Chesterfield & District Badminton League League Rules Updated: 7th March 2016 Clubs 1. The League is open to all clubs within a radius of 15 miles of the Crooked Spire, Chesterfield. Any club outside this range may be admitted at the discretion of the Committee. 2. All clubs must be insured and proof received by the Fixtures Secretary by November 1 st each year (see Important Summary on page 5). 3. Club entry and team entry fees shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting. All entrance fees shall become due at the opening of each season and paid by the Fixtures Meeting unless agreed otherwise by the League Secretary. 4. Each player shall be a bona fide member of the club which he/she represents and must not represent any other club in the same league during the season in which a match is played, in which such a player takes part. All clubs shall submit to the Fixtures Secretary on or before 1 st November each year (see Important Summary on page 5), a written list of bona fide members to be registered. Only registered players shall be eligible to play in any of the league competitions. Additional players may be registered, in writing or email, after the above date, but will not be eligible to play until confirmation of acceptance has been received from the Committee. 1
League matches 5. Mens and mixed matches shall consist of nine rubbers, each rubber being best of three games. Each couple shall play against each opposing couple. No team member shall play more than one partner in any one match. 6. Ladies matches shall consist of six rubbers, each rubber being best of three games. Each player shall partner according to the ladies score sheet. 7. In all league matches a winning club shall be awarded two points. 8. Conceded matches will result in one point deducted per conceded match. 9. The Secretary of the home club shall notify their opponents at least 5 clear days prior to the match if the court is unavailable. Matches can only be cancelled due to inclement weather or non availability of the hall. If the latter is the case, then a letter or email stating the non availability of the hall must be sent to the League Secretary from home team giving reasons. 10. In the information provided to Club Secretaries and in that provided on the league website, it states how many couples are required for start time. If the required couples are late by more than 15 minutes you must play all games in allotted time. If time runs out the unfinished games are conceded by the late club, i.e. home or away side. 11. All matches shall start not earlier than 6.30 p.m. Monday to Friday. The Committee to rule if any problem arises as to lateness of play. Each club shall state the start times at the fixtures meeting. 12. Players shall be available to go on court within 5 minutes of the conclusion of the previous game, excepting by mutual agreement between the captains and the two teams concerned. 13. The captain of the winning team shall be responsible for sending in the results of all matches, within 10 days of the match being played, to the Fixtures Secretary of the association. This includes matches being claimed due to non attendance by the opposing team or if point 8 above does not apply. The result sheet must be signed by a representative of each team concerned. In the case of a draw the home team shall send in the result. Results should also be completed on the league website within this time period. 14. If a team fails to attend and has not cancelled more than 48 hours previously the match is to be claimed then the claiming team may request half of the court fees from the non attending club. 15. In the event of a club failing to provide six different players* for a game the defaulting club shall forfeit the rubbers or games as the case may be, equivalent to the games not played. *4 in the case of ladies matches. In the event of only two pairs from each club being in attendance. Non played games will be ignored for the purposes of the score. 16. The rally scoring system will be used. A rubber consists of the best of 3 games of 21 points. The side winning a rally adds a point to its score. If the score reaches 20 all, the side which gains a 2 point lead first, wins that game, e.g. 27 25. At 29 all, the side scoring the 30th point, wins that game. The side winning a game serves first in the next game. 2
17. Whenever a match is completed in time, any rubbers not started or completed will not be counted, even if this results in a draw (however when submitting the result online it cannot be added as a draw, this will be changed when the result sheet is received by the Fixtures Secretary). Any points scored in these rubbers will not be included in the final total. 18. A sufficient number of shuttles shall be provided by the home club for each match, with a minimum of two shuttles for each rubber. 19. The home team shall provide a drink and light refreshments to the visitors. 20. Dress Only recognised sports strip will be allowed during matches or tournaments. Non compliance to this rule will result in the forfeit of all rubbers appertaining to the individual and their partner concerned. 21. Home court conditions shall always apply providing they conform to the rules of Badminton England, excepting any rules laying down size of the court, but the courts of all clubs playing in the league shall be subject to the approval of the Committee. 22. In division 1 in all disciplines, sufficient Goose feather shuttles should be provided to complete the match. In all other divisions it is at the discretion of the home team if feather or plastic shuttles are used. 23. In divisions 2 onwards Yonex plastic 300 shuttles may be used provided they are cork based and covered by a layer of white leather. Clubs who use feather shuttles and are forced into using nylon shuttles mid season must; a) inform the Committee and; b) inform the clubs involved before the match. Laws of Badminton page 165 item 4(ii) shuttles. 24. In all league games the home team shall provide a scorer unless both teams do not require one. 25. While usually only men should play in the mens matches, Ladies of an exceptional standard can apply to the committee to be allowed to play in the mens divisions. Rubbers played by ineligible ladies will be forfeited. Men cannot play in the ladies matches. 26. The Committee shall have the power to award an unplayed match to a club should such a course be considered proper after all available evidence has been considered. 3
27. In the mixed and mens divisions clubs with more than one team in any section of the league, they must star their 4 best players for each of their higher teams. In the ladies divisions 2 of the 4 players should be starred. Starred players are not allowed to play down at any time. A team starred players must play at least 50% of matches unless unable to due to injury/other exceptional circumstances. Please notify the League Fixtures Secretary if this is the case. Injured starred players will not be allowed to play down. B Team starred players are not tied to the B team and are not subject to having to play 50% of B team matches. They can play up as many times as needed but are not allowed to play down in any circumstance. B team starred players will not be tied to a higher team if they play any given number of matches. In addition B and C teams should be registered. Where a club has two teams in the same Division, the two teams should play both their games at the beginning of the Season. 28. All league fixtures shall be completed by the end of April, except where Committee approval has been given. 29. Any suggested amendments should be submitted to the League Secretary three weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting. 30. Persons have to be fully paid up members of a club for at least three months prior to the annual tournament. Clubs not participating in the current years could apply for affiliation, paying a fee of 2.50. This then enables persons to enter the annual handicap tournament. Leagues 31. The first and second divisions of both Mens and Mixed will have a maximum of 8 and a minimum of 5 teams in each division. This rule may apply to the third division if necessary. Ladies divisions will be decided at the Annual General Meeting each year and may vary depending on teams being entered. 32. Apart from the first divisions, the top two teams will be promoted, normally the bottom two teams, including the first division will be relegated, but if section A of rule 24 applies then providing the second team to be relegated is not detached from the team above by more than two points then that team may stay in the division. If the second team is not within two points of the team above, then the AGM may consider promoting the third team from the division below. 32 In divisions of 5 teams one team will be promoted and relegated. For division one mens and mixed one team will be relegated and one promoted in all other divisions 2 will be promoted and relegated unless the number of teams is 5. There is no relegation from ladies division 1 in the 2015/16 season. The captain of division 2 s winning team will be contacted by the committee to discuss possible promotion. This rule will be amended for the 2016/17 season. For divisions 2 and 3 one team will be promoted and one relegated. 33. Fixture lists shall be completed at the fixtures meeting and a copy given to the Fixtures Secretary. Any additional fixtures to be arranged must be sent by each club to the Fixture Secretary by November 1 st each year (See Important Summary below). 34. The League structure shall be compiled at the start of the season and agreed by the Committee. During the season the League tables shall be compiled by 4
the Fixtures Secretary of the association showing number of games played, won, drawn and lost together with the number of points awarded to each team and any further details as directed by the committee from time to time. 35. All decisions of the Committee shall be final. 36. The individual Club Secretaries are responsible for making sure that all registered players within their club are conversant with the above league rules. Important Summary Proof of insurance, league fixtures, registered players and team starring must be received by the Fixtures Secretary by November 1 st, unless prior discussed with the Fixtures Secretary. Note: Failure to do so will incur a 2 point deduction per item per team entered in the League. Result Sheets of league results must be received by the Fixtures Secretary within 10 days of the match being played, unless prior discussed with the Fixtures Secretary. Note: Failure to do so will void the match and the winning team sending the sheet, or home team in event of a draw, will not be awarded the points for the match. Please go to chesterfieldbadminton.co.uk for details of the League Officials. 5